Trouble seems not yet over for the embattled former Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, as the Code of Conduct Bureau is investigating him over an alleged breach of Code of Conduct for public officers.
The CCB, through a letter dated November 2, with reference number CCB/HQ/ II&M/007/2093, addressed to the former acting EFCC chairman, directed him to appear before the Bureau for an interview scheduled for Tuesday, November 17.
According to the letter, entitled, “Investigation Activities: Letter of Invitation, Breach of Code of Conduct for Public Officers”, the CCB was investigating Magu for a case of alleged breach of Code of Conduct for public officers. Magu’s invitation, the letter, signed by Gwimi S. P., the Director of Intelligence, Investigation and Monitoring of the CCB, stated was made “pursuant to the mandate and powers of the Bureau as enshrined in the 3rd Schedule, Part 1, Paragraph 3(e) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended”.
“The Bureau is investigating a case of alleged breach of Code of Conduct for public officers against Mr Ibrahim Mustapha Magu, the former Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“In view of the foregoing, you are invited for an interview scheduled as follows: Date: Tuesday, 17th November, 2020. Time: 11:00 am prompt; Venue: CCB Interview Room, 5th Floor, Annex 3, Federal Secretariat Complex, Shehu Shagari Way, Maitama, Abuja.
“You are expected to come along with the Certified True Copies (CTC) of the following documents: Acknowledgement slips of all your Assets Declaration to Code of Conduct Bureau since you joined public service; Copies of your Appointment Letter, Acceptance, records of service and payslips from January to May, 2020; All documents of your landed properties both developed and undeveloped.
“This invitation is made pursuant to the mandate and powers of the Bureau as enshrined in the 3rd Schedule, Part 1, Paragraph 3(e) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended; Section 137(a) and (b) and 138 (a) and (b) Penal Code Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 and Section 104 of Evidence Act 2011.
“Treat as urgent, please,” the letter sighted by Saturday Tribune read. When contacted yesterday, Shittu told Saturday Tribune that he could not comment on the development without Magu’s permission.
“There is no way I can comment without the express permission of my client (Magu),” he said.
Magu was on Monday, July 6 “arrested” at the Abuja Zonal office of the commission at Fomella Street at Wuse II in Abuja and taken before the Justice Ayo Salami panel set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate some alleged infractions against him.
The panel was put in place following a memo sent to the President by the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN, in which he made some damning allegations against Magu.
The minister, among others, accused Magu of insubordination to the AGF; relooting of recovered loots; sales of seized assets to his (Magu’s) cronies, associates and friends; alleged favouritism towards selected EFCC investigators, who are referred to as “Magu Boys” for juicy assignments; discrepancies in the reconciliation records of the EFCC and the Ministry of Budget and declaration of N539 billion as recovered funds instead of N504 billion earlier claimed.
Magu was also alleged to have acquired some assets in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, through some proxies. While being detained at the Force Criminal Investigation Department at Garki 10 in Abuja, Magu was suspended by Buhari on July 10, while the then Director of Operations, Mohammed Umar, was made his replacement as EFCC Acting Chairman.
The presidential panel, headed by Justice Isa Ayo Salami (retd), a former President of the Court of Appeal, is yet to submit its report to the President after almost six months it has been investigating Magu’s tenure as Acting EFCC Chairman between November, 2015 and June, 2020.
However, it was rumoured then that the Department of State Service (DSS) was collaborating with the CCB to investigate Magu over some assets infraction, though this was denied then by counsel for the embattled Magu, Wahab Shittu. Reacting to the involvement of the DSS in his probe, Shittu had told Saturday Tribune that he was not aware of any investigations by the CCB, adding that all he knew about the alleged investigations by both the DSS and CCB were speculations on pages of newspapers. According to him, “Magu is not aware of investigations by the Code of Conduct (Bureau) except speculations in the papers. At any rate, my client remains unperturbed. “The only thing going for Magu is his innocence and firm conviction of having served his country selflessly,” Shittu had told Saturday Tribune.
